ELECTRIC LIGHT PLANT

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIV, Issue 194, 14 February 1912, Page 7

ELECTRIC LIGHT PLANT

ELECTiR'IG LIGHT PLANT ADDITIONS. Mr. Black, electrical engineer to the New Plymouth Borough Council, has prepared a list of the additions (in hand and proposed) to the plant of the electric light department. His report is yet to come before the Council for consideration, and it reads as follows: (1) Weir across the Waiwakaiho river to raise the level of the water at the intake and make up for loss of head in the tunnel., This weir was included in Mr. Mesteyer's original plan as a future work. This is still in the future and may not be required for several years to come.

(2) Forebay at outlet end of tunnel with settling pit, large strainer rack, and provision for connecting second 60>-inch power mains besides the present 15-inch water main.

(3) Pipe line from forebay to power house 60-inch at the lOp reducing to 48-inch at power house end to supply power for two 200 K.W. generator sets. Provision for second 60-inch to 48-inch main to take the place of present two 21-inch mains and supply power to drive two further 200 K.W. generator sets, which would take the place of the present 55 K.W. sets.

(4) Turbine and generator is to give 200 K.W. to be followed by a second set of same capacity as early as possible to act as reserve in case of accident. Two further 200 K.W. sets as the growth of the supply requires them. A fifth 200 K.W. set might be installed in place of the present 90 K.W. as a reserve if it is found that the quantity of water available warrants this expenditure. (5) Voltage of transmission line is to be raised from 2000' to 6000 volts using step-up transformers for the existing generators and step-down transformers at the supply end, possibly at the borough boundary (racecourse), but if it can be arranged with the Telegraph Department this would be at the substation. . ,

(6) New power house switchboard designed for 0000 volts with provisions for all the additions outlined above.

(7) Extensions'for power house building to provide room for first two 200' K.W. generator sets and exciter set with bay for switchboard. Included in this is an overhead travelling crane for landing the above machines. This crane has just come to hand. (8) Enlargement of tplrace. The existing race is partly sft in width, enlarged is 6ft Sin, but reduced to a line of 24 in pipe where passing under the-i dairy company water race. Ttiis enlargement, the authorised part of which is> nearly completed, is 10ft in width by, 6ft in height, and Bft below the present race. No definite scheme of town extension has been proposed. This would be considered in connection with a tramway scheme. The present proposal is to supply for tramway from the lines at present used for lighting, but whether this can be done satisfactory remains to be seen. I have some doubt as to the effect on the lighting, and it may be necessary to run a separate transmission line along some other route for tramway and power work only in order to maintain the standard of lighting without variation? due to fluctuation in the power load. It •' will be necessary very shortly to add } some panels to the sub-station switch- jj board to meet the growing output. 1